Best Immersion Blender for Everyday Use

Are you confused trying to find the best immersion blender? You’ve come to the right place.

In this guide we rank our top 3 hand blender choices based on quality, reliability, price, features, test results, and performance. Our goal is to answer all of your questions to help you make the best decision. Let’s get started !

In a hurry ? See our top pick

Key Features to Consider

When you’re ready to buy an immersion blender, there are various features that you must take into consideration.

Motor

The most important feature to consider is the ability to puree ingredients in a reasonable amount of time. A hand blender motor needs to have enough torque to move ingredients around while blending compared to a conventional blender blade that pulls ingredients down to the blade.

A handheld blender with a motor of 150 Watts is good enough to prepare basic purees and smoothies. If you need to crush ice or blend difficult ingredients, then you need a heavy-duty motor of 250 Watt or more.

Multiple Speeds

Budget-friendly options will usually have one speed. Some of them will also have a low and high-speed option to prepare various types of food.

High-end models offer more versatility by providing multiple speeds. These will allow you to get the right consistency for any recipe.

Other Attachments

Having more attachments will help you do several things using the same handheld blender. Some models have whisks, knives, choppers, froth attachments so you can use the blender to the fullest.

An immersion blender with a removable wand is safer to use without risking getting the motor wet. However, a fixed wand means that your blender will be more durable.

Convenience and Weight

When you’re shopping for the best handheld blender, you want to choose one that won’t strain your hand after using it to prepare several types of food. It’s a good idea to buy a model that you can operate using one hand and feel comfortable to hold.

Look at the place of the controls and buttons. Will you be able to access them using one hand?

Consider the length of the immersion blender that you choose as longer blenders are suitable for preparing large batches of food. They will go to the bottom of the pot when you’re pureeing soup for the whole family. However, a longer blender might be more difficult to control and maneuver, especially using one hand.

Corded versus Cordless Models

Hand blenders are either corded or cordless. If you have lots of power outlets, then a corded blender will be useful to prepare baby food, smoothies, dips, soups, stews, whipped cream, pancake batter, and other dishes.

Think of where you’ll probably use your handheld blender to prepare food. You need to check the cord length to make sure that it will reach the power outlet.

Cordless models are useful for people who don’t have many power outlets in their kitchen. Moreover, they give you the opportunity to prepare your favorite blends on the go. Pack your cordless immersion blender for a holiday, and you’ll always have your favorite soup, smoothie or sauce ready.

Materials Used

Most immersion blenders are made of a mixture of metal and plastic. Always look for blades that are made of stainless steel because it doesn’t react with acids in the food. Picking a machine with dishwasher-safe attachments is a plus.

Plastic immersion blenders are cheaper and lighter, but they’re not suitable for heavy-duty blending purposes. They also can’t handle the heat. The plastic might warp if you use it to blend hot soup or stew in the pot.

Spattering

Good models will have minimal spattering. This means that you won’t have to worry about messy countertops and cabinets. Moreover, models with minimal spattering will protect you when you’re mixing hot liquids.

Why Would You Choose an Immersion Blender ?

Immersion Blender vs. Countertop Blender

All blenders are used to prepare various types of nutritious food recipes. They’re quite versatile and can go quickly from pureed soup to ice cream and whipped cream.

In an ideal situation, you’d want to buy a countertop blender in addition to an immersion blender as each one has its unique set of features.

Difference between the Immersion Blender and Countertop Blender

Countertop blenders are multi-purpose kitchen tools that can be used to crush, puree, cut, and chop different food items to prepare several delicious dishes. These are sturdy and fast blenders that can cut through various food items powered by their strong motors. Countertop blenders can blend difficult ingredients like raw vegetables or nuts into a finer texture compared to stick blenders.

If you don’t have enough countertop space or need a versatile kitchen appliance, then you need to think about buying a good immersion blender. They’re lightweight and portable. Stick blenders are usually less robust than countertop blenders, and they’re more suitable for simpler blending tasks and meal prep.

So why would you choose an immersion blender?

Advantages

• These kitchen appliances allow you to prepare your favorite dish anywhere you like. You can pack your handheld blender for a family vacation or an outdoor holiday, especially if it’s battery-operated.
• They don’t occupy much space. If you don’t have lots of countertop space, then you should invest in a handheld model that you can store in the cupboard after use.
• Although a stick blender is smaller than a traditional countertop model, it can handle more substantial amounts of food. You’re not limited to the size of the blender because you’re blending in the pot.
• They’re also less messy to use when you’re blending soup and sauce. You take the blender to the pot and not the other way around.
• They’re suitable for people who want to prepare small servings directly in the jar such as dressings, dips, or smoothies.
• Immersion blenders are usually slower than countertop models so they won’t heat your juice or smoothie. This can help reduce nutrient loss from oxidization.
• You have more control of blending consistency with an immersion blender.

Disadvantages

• Immersion blenders have less powerful motors than countertop models. They can’t cut through hard food substances like root veggies or thick mixtures.
• Using a handheld blender for an extended period will make you feel uncomfortable because it will strain your hand. You might spend some time holding the blender until you reach the desired texture.
• There is always the risk of splattering. This isn’t an issue with a countertop blender where you can secure the lid.
• They won’t blend as evenly as a full size blender.

Best Immersion Blenders for Every Budget

There are a lot of choices but we narrowed it down to the best models that performed well in tests, are manufactured by reliable brands, and offer the best performance for the price. Here are our top choices for any budget.

Breville Control Grip BSB510XL – Best Overall Hand blender

Breville Control Grip BSB510XL is our top choice because it has plenty of power to handle any tasks, is comfortable to use, and features versatile settings.

Breville is known for having quality, uniquely designed consumer appliances and this hand blender is no exception. It is simple to use and very comfortable to hold with a rubberized handle and pistol-like control grip.

It features a 280 watt motor with 15 available speeds and 8 inch blending depth. Comes with a whisk attachment, 25 ounce chopping bowl, and large 42 ounce cup that is much larger than jars that come with competing models.

Positives: The Breville Control Grip hand blender has a nice ergonomic design making it easy to hold. 280 watts is plenty of power with excellent performance. Easily chop and dice ingredients or use the whisk attachment to make whip cream, dips, and sauces.

The BSB510XL blender is simple to use and we like the dial on the handle for simple speed adjustment while blending. It is the #1 top immersion blender pick from Consumer Reports and other independent product tests.

Negatives: It does not blend green smoothies or ice as well as a countertop blender. Designed to blend one minute at a time to prevent overheating, but this is a common recommendation from hand blender manufacturers. The speed control is on the top.

Overall Opinion: The Breville Control Grip BSB510XL continues to be a consumer favorite with a well thought-out design and ease of use. It consistently performs at the top of immersion blender comparison tests and there really aren’t any faults to this blender.

Overall, the Breville Control Grip is our choice as the best hand blender as it offers good performance and reliability for a reasonable price.

Click Here for Breville Control Grip Current Price

Braun MultiQuick MQ505 Stick – Best Value Option

The Braun MQ505 is an excellent blender at a reasonable price. While there are immersion blenders priced below this Braun model, we would pay a little more for the performance of the Braun which can crush ice, blend frozen fruit, and puree smoothies.

It has a really nice feel that is simple to use and a reasonable weight. Powered by a German engineered 350 watt motor with 2 speeds that will meet most of your blending needs. The model comes with a separate whisk attachment and 20 ounce blending jar.

The unique bell shaped blending shaft works really well and this blender is a #1 tester favorite at America’s Test Kitchen.

Positives: Really nice performance and power for this price. Comfortable to hold and simple to use. Narrower design fits any hand size and is lighter than many models.

Negative: You have to hold the button down while blending. Not as comfortable to hold as our top pick, Breville Control Grip.

Overall Opinion: A solid blender with strong user reviews and excellent performance for the price. Purees better than competing blenders in this price range and is a great choice for a typical user.

Click Here for Braun MultiQuick Current Price

The Bamix Professional G200 – Premium Choice

Bamix of Switzerland has been making hand-held food processors for over 60 years and they are built to commercial grade standards. In other words, Bamix is known for making blenders that last.

The G200 is their professional quality blender (NSF approved for commercial use) that is used by restaurants, celebrity chefs, and serious cooks. The 3 blade immersion hand blender with wall bracket is a valuable upgrade for people who want a commercial-grade blender. It has three interchangeable stainless steel blades for various food processing options. (Note – Bamix also offers a taller version of this blender called GL200 which is 4 inches longer at 11.25″)

Features a whipping attachment to create fluffy whipping cream and soups. The design keeps the motor away from food splashes for easy cleanup.

The low-speed option delivers 10,000 RPM, while the high speed delivers 15,000 RPM, powered by the 200-Watt motor. The lower speed is suitable for preparing mashed potatoes where more texture is needed.

Positives: Blends longer than competing blenders due to its unique motor design. Sturdy, well designed blender is sealed water tight and simple to clean.

Negative: It is more than 2 times the price of the Breville.

Overall Opinion: This Bamix blender is the professionals choice and can handle high volume use. Water tight seal allows submersion into liquids while blending and blades are heavy duty. This blender is built to last.

Click Here for Bamix Pro current price

Why Bamix hand blenders are different :

Cuisinart CSB-400 – Top Cordless Stick Blender

If you need a cordless blender then the Cuisinart CSB-400 Smart Stick rechargeable hand blender is a good option. Using this portable model, you’ll be able to prepare several dishes on vacation or wherever you can’t reach a power outlet.

Cuisinart has offered a cordless hand blender for years and the CSB 400 is the latest model (They discontinued the CSB-78 & CSB-300 models).

The CSB 400 offers a 400 watt motor and uses a lithium battery that can operate for 20 minutes. It has five-speed options so you can use it with several types of food.

Positives: The shaft measures 8.75 inches so it’s long enough to reach the bottom of a deep bowl. Intuitive design and useful controls with variable speeds.

Negatives: The unit is a bit large due to the built-in battery and might be challenging to hold using one hand for some people. The safety lock feature takes a little getting used to.

Overall Opinion: There are few options for a cordless hand blender and the CSB 400 is the one we would choose. It is larger than traditional plug-in models due to the built-in battery but this model performs well for portable meal prep and blending tasks.

Click Here for Cuisinart CSB400 Current Price

Here is a video demonstration of the prior Cuisinart cordless model that works similar :

Hand Blenders that Didn’t Make the List

Vitamix Immersion Blender – Vitamix introduced its first handheld blender in late 2020. Known for their professional blenders, Vitamix’s corded handheld blender is very powerful with a 650 watt motor. It has a unique 4 prong blade that works amazing well. If you are looking for a powerful option then would be a good choice. We might replace the Bamix with this blender once it has been evaluated longer.

Braun MultiQuick 9 – This is the most powerful hand blender on the market at 700 watts. It has 2 models (MQ9037, MQ909) with the same motor but different accessories and a unique flexible shaft that moves the blade up and down while blending. It is a great choice but we prefer the Breville blender above at this price point.

All Clad KZ750D4 Handheld blender – This model features a powerful 600 watt motor and stainless steel shaft. It didn’t make our list of top choices due to concern about build quality and user complaints about parts breaking.

Cuisinart CSB Smart Stick 179 – The Cuisinart Smart Stick blender line continues to be very popular and there are various models available. The CSB 179 is the newest model in this blender line with 300 watts of blending power. The CSB 179 replaced the CSB 79 as the CSB 79 had complaints about the safety lock location on the top of the blender . The Cuisinart CSB 179 is a decent blender but we choose the similarly priced Braun Multiquick blender for performance.

KitchenAid KHB3581SR Pro Line Series Sugar Pearl Silver 5-Speed Cordless Hand Blender is an expensive model, but it is cordless so you can use it on the go. It can froth milk, puree soup, mash veggies, prepare smoothies, and whisk cream for your desserts. We just couldn’t justify the higher price compared to the Cuisinart CSB-400 cordless blender that we chose.

KitchenAid KHB2351OB 3 speed blender is a popular blender by a well-known kitchen appliance brand. It is solid blender with nice size and design but it didn’t quite match up to the performance of our top blender choices above.

How to Use an Immersion Blender

After you learn how to choose a handheld blender, there will be hundreds of delicious recipes to try. Below is a step-by-step on how to use it.

1. Check the blender before switching it on (if it’s cordless) or plugging it in (if it’s corded). Some models arrive assembled, while others require some minimal assembly. Check the user manual and follow the instructions.
2. Plug in the cord and make sure that it’s not too taunt. If you have a cordless model, make sure that the battery is charged and switch it on.
3. Choose a container that has high sides. The food you’re pureeing or blending should be a few inches from the top. Your blender will create a vortex to reach all the food at once for uniform consistency.
4. Put the head in the food pot and turn the blender on to minimize splashing and splattering. Make sure that the attachment you’re using is completely submerged.
5. Keep the motor above the level of food or liquid.
6. Start with the low speed to guarantee uniform chopping before switching to the high speed.
7. Move your blender in the pot for a consistent texture.
8. To check consistency, switch your blender off, while the attachment is still submerged in the food.
9. Turn off the blender and remove it, then unplug it before detaching the wand for cleaning.
10. Wash the attachment as soon as possible because food particles will stick and become hard to clean.

These easy steps will help you make a delicious salsa, pesto sauce for your salad and pasta, pancake batter, or creamy soups and healthy smoothies.

Common FAQs:

Have you got any questions about stick blenders? Here are some common questions that users usually ask.

1. What is an immersion blender good for ?

Generally speaking, a stick blender will do many of the things that a countertop blender can do. Nevertheless, you’re not limited by the size of the countertop model as you take the blender to the food, so it’s suitable for preparing big batches of food.

Using a stick blender, you can prepare baby food, blend and puree the soup, smooth out the texture of sauces, make smoothies, and mix salad dressings.

2.  How do I clean an immersion blender ?

Some models allow you to disconnect the blade wand for cleaning and some don’t. The easiest way is to run it under hot water or if there is thick food stuck in the blade then run the blender in a jar of hot soapy water.

3. Can a hand blender go into the dishwasher ?

Never put the whole blender in the dishwasher. Some blenders’ attachments are dishwasher safe. Check the user manual to see if they are. However, all accessories can be rinsed with warm soapy water after use to prevent the sticking of food particles.

4. Can you crush ice using an immersion blender ?

Most hand blenders won’t crush ice cubes adequately with their blade design. The models we listed above can handle ice. However, most models can blend frozen fruit.

5. Do I need a separate blender for cocktails ?

It’s advisable to have a separate blender for cocktails and beverages so the food odors won’t get into your drinks.

6. What can I do if my hand blender gets hot ?

All blenders get hot if you keep on using them for long periods. Switch off your blender every 60 seconds to protect the motor from damage.

Final Thoughts

Hand blenders are extremely useful at being able to blend in any container and they provide a lot of control over blending consistency and texture.

We reviewed all of the immersion blenders on the market and a lot of thought was put into our top 3 blender choices above.

If you have any questions please leave a comment below.